"Do you see them?" Armin asked eagerly, his face flushed with excitement. He tried to get a better look by standing on his tippy-toes, only to stumble back down with a unsatisfied huff.
The people around him were less eager. This wasn't the first time civilians and soldiers alike were sent to their death outside the wall. The military police called it 'population control', though that word was not used around children such as Eren and Armin. "Keep an eye out," Eren said to his friend. "I'm sure they'll show up eventually."
"Right." Armin nodded. The remaining people began pouring in from the gate, looks of terror and sorrow etched into their dirty, unwashed faces. The crowd fell silent. "Is it them?" Armin whispered to Eren.
"I dunno, I can't see anything past all these people." Eren tried to look around the people surrounding him. The crowd stayed silent until the last of the survivors filed in. There was the grinding of gears- the sound of the gate being lowered, and a thud. Dust filled the air as the gate closed all the way. "They're all in!" Armin cried excitedly, taking Eren's hand and shoving through the people. "C'mon, let's go find my parents!"
Armin looked around, wide eyed, his heart thumping with happiness. It had been almost two months since Armin's parents told him about their plans to go outside the walls, to explore the world. "Alright, just promise me you'll be safe," Armin had said. They promised him they would with a tight hug and kisses.
"Armin, stay close to me." He heard his grandfather call from behind him. Armin couldn't explain why, but their was something sad and distant in his eyes. "We can go together."
Armin nodded, taking his grandfathers empty hand and holding Eren's in the other. They made their way through the crowd. "W-where are they?" Armin asked nervously. His grandfather looked reluctant to answer. Instead of using words, he closed his eyes slowly and put his hand on Armin's head, shaking his own.
"Oh," Armin's heart twisted as his throat tightened up. His eyes remained wide and blank, staring at the space ahead. Tears started spilling over. He took a shaky breath in; overcome with sobbing. Their was a sharp, nervous pain in his stomach. His shoulders shook as he cried harder. He looked to the ground silently, tears spilling down his cheeks. Eren took his hand, pressing their palms together. "H-hey, don't cry, I know they'll come back," he said, though they were just words of comfort in place of the truth. Armin's grandfather stepped back, tears in his eyes. "Don't cry," Eren repeated. Warm tears pricked in his eyes. He hugged Armin around the shoulders, both of them crying silently as people began clearing out. Armin sobbed into his shoulder. "T-they promised me," he sobbed. "They told me they wouldn't die."
"I know," Eren said, holding Armin tighter, trying to fight back his own sobs.
"They didn't even say goodbye, they told me they'd be back..." Armin trailed off as his body was shook by another sob.
"I'm sorry, Armin, I really am."
